Friday, 14 April 2017

Meet our Fundraising Champions: Katherine

Fundraising Champion Katherine writes about her experience as a fundraiser and why she decided to get involved with Student Minds.

-Katherine Hockley

My name is Katherine Hockley and I currently work as a Digital Content Designer for CoSector – University of London. This involves creating design for marketing collateral, as well as editing the blog, running Twitter sites, creating video, and interacting with the many different departments within the organisation.

Why did you choose to become a fundraiser for Student Minds?

Student Minds gave a presentation in the All Staff Meeting at the University of London and I was moved by the cause having suffered with depression at university myself. I signed up with another colleague to do the stair climb, which you can read about here. (In short – my legs hurt). I then saw that they were looking for volunteer fundraisers and thought – why not me? It’s a cause I care about and I have several ways that I can help the charity, be it writing, raising the charity’s profile or organising work events to raise money.

What do you enjoy the most about fundraising?

The things I enjoy most about fundraising is that I know I am contributing towards a great cause. It’s always good to challenge yourself as well, so I know I’ve not just spent my free time watching the same shows over and over again on Netflix.

How did you feel after your first fundraiser?

After my first fundraiser I felt great, if not sweaty and very, very out of breathe. It was a physical challenge climbing all those flights of stairs but worth it to know that I’d achieved something for Student Minds. I empathise with the message the charity is trying to get across and I was just glad I could help in any way I could. It also meant I could have the ‘Lambshank redemption’ burger immediately after as one hell of a punny reward.

What are you planning on doing for your next fundraiser?

I plan on running a bake sale as my next charity event, as it is easy to arrange but is something everyone can get on board with (who doesn’t like cake?). I have control of the internal newsletter, so I'll be making sure I slip that information in...

What would your top tip be for someone who is thinking of fundraising for Student Minds?

My top tip for anyone who is thinking of fundraising for Student Minds is to just do it, and don’t be scared that you’re oversharing your fundraising page. Spam away! Ask friends if they're interested and then you'll get more donations as well are more morale support. It's a great charity and one that's definitely worth your time, so go ahead!

"Katherine post Broadgate Tower Stair Climb"

Our Fundraising Champions are volunteers who actively fundraise for Student Minds, champion the importance of fundraising for student mental health and raise awareness. Find out more about our Fundraising Champions here.

Want to get involved with fundraising for Student Minds? Check out our page here.

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The Student Minds blog is the UK's biggest blog on student wellbeing and mental health. We believe students should have a place to speak up about their experiences of living with mental health difficulties and show others that they are not alone. If you're a student, or recent student, with an experience you want to share, or tips on how to deal with the different challenges that uni life brings, get in touch.

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Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity. We empower students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others and create change. Find out more here.